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| "To write or not to write? That is the question!
Whether 'tis nobler to leave my thoughts in my mind
The rambling utterances of Katie's randomness,
Or to take up the pen and write, And by writing share them? To write: to transcribe;"
(Katie's writing at almost 1am... that's my excuse...  )
Okay, that's enough... for this reason Katie is a musician and not a poet/playwright. Shakespeare's soliloquy in Hamlet was MUCH better... Anyways... I felt like I should write something on this blog because I have not written a post here for quite some time. Summer is almost over, and one thing that has really hit me this week in particular, is the fact that I will not be returning to Cedarville in the fall. When I was still at school and even at graduation I never quite came to this realization. Yes, I knew it would happen, but the thought of it was so far back in my mind that I didn't think about it. This week it really hit me for some reason. Maybe because its been so long since I've seen everyone up at Cedarville, or maybe because there is less than a month left for all of you who will be returning for the fall. As I look back on my last four years, and how much I have changed, and the friendships that I have formed up at Cedarville, I know that I will greatly miss it. Things around here just won't be the same. Over the last four years at Cedarville, specifically this past year, I have made some very close friends, and coming home this summer really reminded me of how I am going to miss that. I thank you all for your amazing friendship, and you will never know how much each of you has had an impact on my life. I'm sure I'll be up to visit at some point, Cedarville isn't really that far away. And Y'all should come visit Katie in Cincinnati.... Please keep in touch, and know that Katie loves you! 
<3 Katie
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| Wow, I haven't written on this in so long.... Guess its just been a pretty busy semester. Funny how I can only have 12.5 credits and feel like I'm back up at 21.... interesting... So, the semester has gone pretty well so far. I'm enjoying all of my ensembles a lot, have all of my music for my recital in the Spring, and absolutely love Keyboard Pedagogy. I would like to encourage any of you who may read this, who are music majors, if you ever want to start your own studio, whether for piano or another instrument/voice, you should take this class, its amazing! It has given me hope that maybe I can teach someday after all. Yes, there have been some bumps along the road, but really when you think about it, learning how to overcome difficulties in one's own life helps them to be better suited to teach others how to do the same. I don't know if God has planned for me to someday be a teacher or not, but I have a renewed passion for it, and I don't really know what to do with that right now. So many new doors have opened up in my life within the last few months, and its been kind of a guessing game to figure out which door is the right one... I've thought about music therapy, speech pathology specializing in treating vocalists, voice science (kind of connected to the last one), getting my master's in teaching, and having my own private voice studio. I think if this rough time of basically seeing everything I've worked so hard for shatter to the ground hadn't happen, I probably never would have seen all of these other opportunities to use my love for music and singing. As of right now, the plan is to be ready for anything. I'm hoping to take a few years and just work (really whatever job I can find that pays the bills) to get my feet back on the ground and keep up my music as much as I can, and then go see if grad school is in the future, once I have the extra money to pursue it. Then we shall see where to from there. And that may change too, who knows? This summer was a very trying time for me, as I saw all of my hopes of being a music teacher go down the drain. But I think of it as a good thing, because God taught me how to trust in Him, and know that my plans aren't always going to work, but His plans always have a purpose. They are so intricately laid out that when I look back at the plans that have already been shown in my life, I am amazed at how they all have fit together so nicely, not in a way that I would have tried to plan them, but in a very different way, and I'm excited to see how God does that in the future. To see what is the next piece to be added to the puzzle, and what the final picture will be once they are all put together. (sorry I like analogies...) So, I know this has been a theme in my posts for like the last 2 years or so. Its just something on my heart and mind constantly, and I wanted to share it. This semester has been interesting as I've probably had to share this story 20 million times, every time someone asks me a questions about MENC, or asks how one of my music education classes is going, or something along those lines, and then I have to tell them about the switch. The next question 9 times out of 10 is, "Well, what do you want to do when you graduate?" Oh the dreaded question. All I can say at this point is, God has a plan and I better be ready!
With love,
Katie | | |
| Why do we so often spend our time and efforts for our own gain, neglecting the needs and what is best for others? This is something that has been on my heart lately, as I have looked at how I spend my time over the summer. I have been wasting time doing things for myself, and not taking the time to go out there and serve others. Even within my own household, when I have been asked to do something, I have done it with a bad attitude, not willing to sacrifice even the smallest amount of "my time" to help others. Last night I was reading in a devotional I have that goes through the characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman. (One of my favorite passages and one that constantly gives me a role model of a godly woman to look up to) The verse for the chapter was the one about the woman "opening her arms to the poor and extending her hands to the needy." I look at this picture of this woman and I see a woman who is willing to put others before herself. A woman who looks over her household and even those she doesn't know over her own needs and wants, and I desire to be like that. She is a woman who wakes up early and stays up late to make sure that her family is clothed and feed, and that all of their needs are met, and doing all of this with a joyful attitude. I want to be a woman like that. One who sacrifices her own dreams and desires to be a servant and a witness to others.
So, here has been a little tidbit from the heart of Katie. Hope it inspires you to take time out of your day to help others, whatever the need may be, and to take some of that summer alone time to get your hands dirty and serve others.
Love,
Katie | | |
| Well, it's finally summer time! Yay! I haven't done too much yet, mostly just relaxing at home, but it has been a nice break. I start work tomorrow at New York and Company, so I'm pretty excited about that. Last weekend the Barbershop Quartet I'm in got to sing at a church for our first "gig," which was awesome. And other than that its just been wedding showers and chilling at home. Watched "Made of Honor" tonight with my sisters and my mom. Cute movie! So, break has been pretty good so far.
At the same time God has been working on my heart with a situation that has kind of been here for a while, but has officially come to completion, and that is the necessity to change my major. I'm still going to graduate with a BA in music, but I am no longer in music education. While it is still hard to deal with, I can honestly say now that I feel a sense of peace about it. I just take it as a sign that God has other plans in store for me, and His plans are ALWAYS better than mine. I don't know what it is that He is calling me to do, and when asked what I'm going to do after college I honestly have no clue and rattle off a list of like 40 different options, lol. But I think this is a big step for me that will open doors that I may have never even noticed were there, or new doors that weren't there before. Please pray for me as I try to figure out just what it is that God has in store for me. As for now, its all in His hands, I'm tired of trying to force my life into my own mold. God is the giver of life, so who am I to think that its my own? I'd appreciate your prayers during this time and just let me know if you have anything that I can be praying for too!
With Much Love,
-Katie-
P.S. I heard the song that I attached on the ride home tonight from the movies. Its an amazing song and has helped me through some stuff in the past. I thought I'd put it on here because its a reminder of how God is always with us to carry us no matter what we may be going through. Hope it uplifts you in whatever your circumstances this summer. | | |
| Today I was talking to my roommate about some things and it really got me thinking about my life. I look back at the last 2 1/2 years of college life and I can see the friendships that I've had. Some people I was close to freshman year I hardly, if ever, talk to anymore. Friends from last year I may talk to some, while others I'm even closer to than before. Yet others who I used to see occasionally on the sidewalk I'm very close friends with. Its interesting to see how my friendships have changed over these short few years. What makes friendships change? Is it just the passing and changing of time? Is it that people are constantly moving in different directions in their lives, and friendships follow with those directions? I don't quite know, it can be a combination of those things and many more. One thing in particular that I know is true in my life, is that often my friendships relate to what is going on in my life at the time. Often the closest friendships in my life are based around a common issue or struggle that a friend and I work through together. When the common bond goes away, unfortunately sometimes the friendship does too. I wish this wasn't so and that I could hold on to every friendship with a tight grasp, but times change and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. What I'm learning right now is just how to make the most of the short time I have and to pour my life into others. I've noticed this with a close friend lately. A friendship that taught me a lot about myself, things that are positive, and negative things that I didn't want to, yet still needed to hear. A friendship that taught me a lot about the other person, and we shared a lot of deep things and worked through them together. A friendship that taught me what it means to truly love and care about another person, even though it took me until it was too late to realize what that truly meant. A friendship that is still alive, but just taking a new direction. Why is it that we often see what we have after its gone or at least has changed? My desire is to change that, and to live every moment for all its worth, pouring into the lives of others, because to be blunt, not all friendships will last forever. We often get so consumed with the idea that we can take friendships for granted and rationalize saying, "they'll always be there for me," but that isn't always the case. If my friendships won't all last forever, I want them to soak up the most out of life while they are there, and to invest in the lives of others. The following song is by Warren Barfield. Its called "Soak it Up" and its all about soaking up life for all its worth, living every moment like its your last. I would also like to give a shout out to all of my friends reading this. If we are close now, or if we were in the past. Know that each and every one of you has made an impact in some way, whether big or small, on my life. Know that I love you and wish the best for you in whatever life brings your way. Feel free to comment and let me know what's new, so I can keep you in my prayers. With Love, Katie Soak it Up By: Warren Barfield I just saw the most amazing sunset
Well I watched as it sank into the sea
Bid another day goodbye by myself
I heard a bird sing the most beautiful song
But for the life of me I can’t remember that melody
I just remember that I had to dance alone
Oh and the days go by so fast
And the memories
They never seem to last
And I’m quick to see all I don’t have
I need to change the way I look at
All I look at
And soak it up
Every little bit I can
Enjoy all my days
Before all my days end
And whatever I get
Always let there be enough
And never forget to soak it up
Yeah yeah
Cause I could get caught up in this crazy race
You know the world we live in leaves no room for second place
But I’ve got to believe there’s more to life than winning
I ain’t gonna miss out on
All the beauty in my life
Like my family and my friends and my wife
All the God given gifts that money can’t buy
Oh cause the days go by so fast
And the memories they never seem to last
But I’m grateful for everything I have
Cause you changed the way I look at
All I look at
[BRIDGE]:
Ain’t gonna be living tomorrows
And missing today
Ain’t gonna be making treasures out of things that fade away
No, I’d rather be living every second
Living every minute of every single day
Oh I will
[TAG]:
Soak it up
Every little bit
Every little bit I can
Soak it up
Every little bit
Every little bit I can
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